Millboard designer decking in Colchester creates Ibiza inspired garden

Millboard Designer Decking in Colchester

Paul Holland of Holland Landscapes, an experienced decking installer, sums it up clearly: “Composite is the perfect choice for this Millboard designer decking in Colchester.”

The brief: Ibiza style, social space, and a quiet retreat

The clients wanted an Ibiza-inspired garden with strong social seating zones and generous planting. They also love spending time outdoors, so they aimed to maximise every part of their enclosed space.

To extend seasonal use, they chose a Pratic bioclimatic pergola. It delivers shade in summer and shelter in cooler months. Moreover, because the client teaches yoga, she asked for a calm area away from the main entertaining space. So, the team installed screening to divide the garden into distinct “rooms” and create a dedicated retreat.

The planting follows a Mediterranean approach. As a result, it suits the hotter microclimate and softens the clean, rectilinear lines of the hard landscaping.

Why Millboard works so well

Garden decking has moved on dramatically since the mid-eighties. Back then, many installations looked tired quickly and performed poorly. Today, however, landscapers can specify materials that deliver long-term aesthetics with far better durability.

Millboard sits at the premium end of the composite market. Designers specify it for its finished appearance, while professional installers rate it for consistent results on high-end schemes. In addition, Millboard’s “Pro Installer” network helps clients match product choice with skilled workmanship and correct detailing.

Site challenges: access, storage, and ground conditions

This project came with real logistical constraints. First, parking created constant pressure. The house sat on a busy junction with restrictions in place at all times. Therefore, the team parked on a grass verge across the road and managed unloading carefully, even when it meant short stops on double yellow lines.

Second, the site offered almost no storage outside the rear garden. Consequently, deliveries stayed small and tightly timed. Where needed, the team moved materials with their own trucks or lifted items over the boundary wall.

Finally, the ground quality demanded attention. The team improved cultivation, added new soil, and incorporated around 4m³ of green soil improver. As a result, the planting gained a strong foundation and could establish quickly.

The result: confident build, strong service, delighted clients

The clients loved the finished garden and the way the team managed the build from start to finish. Importantly, they also praised the customer service before, during, and after installation.

Materials and suppliers

• Millboard decking: Collier & Catchpole (Colchester)

• Bioclimatic pergola: Pratic

• Porcelain paving: Eva

• Planters and water feature: Urbis

• Fencing: Jackson Fencing

• Bespoke planters and screens: Lower Farm Barn

• Betula utilis var. jacquemontii: Original Landscape Design

• Olive trees: Classiflora

• Plants: Premier Plants (Ongar)

• Lighting, irrigation and pump: LandscapePlus

Quantities and project snapshot

The scheme includes approximately 117m² of hard landscaping, delivered by Paul Holland and the Holland Landscapes team. Meanwhile, Rob Grimstead (Lower Farm Barn) developed the garden layout, and Holland Landscapes delivered the planting design.

The investment exceeded £100,000 for the core build. In addition, the pergola, planters, pots, and screens sat outside that figure. The project completed in 2019, when costs across the sector sat notably lower than they do today.

A quick word with Paul Holland

Decking Network: What drives you to work in all weathers?
Paul: “It’s in the DNA, if I’m honest. I love creating gardens. It’s not just paving or decking. Instead, it’s the detail, the correct use of current technology, and doing everything properly that brings it all together.”

Decking Network: Would you take on a deck or patio without the wider garden works?
Paul: “Of course. It’s what we do. As a Millboard Pro Installer, I design and build decks professionally—and I always keep samples in the van.”